Chapter 16 - The Tea Party

As she entered the parlor, she noticed Sorel and Lia were already waiting for her. She smiled as she sat with them. The letters she wrote were successful to avoid being alone with Aurelian.

“Thank you both for coming.” She sat and they followed suit.

“Of course, does this mean your punishment is over?” Sorel inquired in a blush pink gown with her curls framing her face.

“No. I am only allowed out for this tea party and then will be escorted back to my chambers by guards.” Syra shifted to try to find a comfortable position to sit in.

“What?! Why did she even let you out for a tea party in the first place?” Lia loudly asked before being hushed by her sister. Her gown was a mirror for her sister’s, but in a lavender. Her long straight hair fell over one shoulder.

“She must want me to try to better my relationship with Aurelian.” Syra looked at the two sisters and grimaced.

“I did not realize you used my first name only when speaking with your friends.” All three jumped up in surprise. 

All three curtsied and Aurelian bowed slightly before sitting in the empty chair. Syra fought to not grimace as she sat down again.

“Welcome, Prince Aurelian. I believe you have met Duchess Ophelia and Duchess Sorel.” Syra moved her hand to indicate each as each took their respective seats.

“Ah yes, the future Princesses. Princess Syra, was I mistaken when I read your invitation in thinking it would be just us?” He quickly turned to ignore the two sisters as his golden eyes looked into Syra’s.

“Oh, I apologize if my words gave you that idea. I always include my dearest friends in all of my tea parties!” Syra’s fake apology made Lia have to cover her mouth to hide a small laugh while Syra lifted her teacup to her mouth to hide her own smirk.

“Well, I will keep that in mind for future invitations. Is the rumor true?” Aurelian’s smirk and question almost made Syra choke on her tea.

“What rumor, your Highness?” She fought to keep the panic out of her voice as she wondered if someone did hear her the night before with Icar.

“That you are confined to your chambers for trying to run away. It is all your court is whispering about.” He smirked harder at her reaction, seeming to enjoy her discomfort.

“Running away? I would be terrible at running away if I got so lost that I came back to the castle.” Syra took another sip of tea as she heard the sisters giggle and snort behind their own teacups.

“So what are you confined for, if not running away then? Were you caught using your magic on another commoner?” Aurelian smirked as smoke billowed slightly from his nostrils.

“I see you have not learned to not insult a woman you are attempting to court, dear cousin.” Duke Eclipse’s rumbling voice made Aurelian drop his smirk as he whirled around.

“Oh. Cousin. I see you have not yet learned to either address me properly nor learned to not come to events uninvited.” Prince Aurelien’s golden eyes glared as his cousin ignored him and sat in the chair a servant had rushed to bring him.

“I was invited. I came here at the kind invitation of Duchess Ophelia.” Duke Eclipse took a bite of a macaron as his tea was poured by a nearby maid.

Syra looked to Lia who smirked with a sideways glance back. Sorel’s eyes flitted between the two before looking back towards the two men.

“Oh, so you are giving up becoming the King of the Dragons and have settled for being a mere king consort?” Aurelian taunted his cousin completely ignoring the three women as they had an entire conversation with just their eyes and reactions.

Sorel and Lia were in almost perfect sync as they rolled their eyes. Syra had to stifle a laugh at the sight as she ignored the men on either side of her.

“I am not settling for anything. I have never claimed to have any ambition to be a king or king consort. I am here to have tea and converse with three beautiful women, but instead I am stuck speaking to you it seems.” Duke Eclipse punctuated the sentence with a long sip of tea as smoke billowed out of his cousin’s nostrils.

Syra and Lia blushed as Sorel rolled her eyes again. Lia and Syra looked at each other and then to Duke Eclipse and back with a slight eyebrow raise. Each gave each the other a knowing smile as Sorel shook her head disapprovingly.

“How are you today, Duke Eclipse?” Lia carefully stirred her tea as she looked up from her silent conversation, “I trust my invitation was a welcome one?”

“I am doing well, thank you Duchess Ophelia. I do appreciate your invitation.” His purple eyes glanced over at Syra and then back, “I would love to hear more about you, Duchess Ophelia. What are some of your hobbies?” He glanced back at Syra, seeming to take a long glance at her purple dress.

“I enjoy reading, your Grace. What about you?” Lia was stiff and slightly awkward as Sorel simply stared at Eclipse, barely blinking. 

Syra watched as Aurelian’s nostrils billowed more smoke as he was ignored. Everyone, but Eclipse jumped when Aurelian suddenly scoffed and stood.

“While this is the most interesting conversation I have undoubtedly heard in my entire life, I must be going. I have more exciting plans of watching trees grow. I will come back in another century once I am sure to be bored of that to see if you three are still fawning over my powerless cousin.” Aurelian shoved his chair back violently and stomped out of the room.

“I thought he was never going to leave. I was hoping being boring and polite would get him to childishly storm out. He never did learn how to act in polite company.” Eclipse visibly relaxed his posture before turning to Sorel, “Is there something on my face, Duchess Sorel?”

“Oh! I’m sorry.” She blushed and focused on stirring her tea for a long time seeming to be lost in thought.

“How did you even know about this tea party?” Syra watched him as he turned towards her and smiled at her, but noticed his expression was… different than usual.

“Duchess Ophelia really did invite me. Would you like me to leave, your Highness?”

“No, I was just surprised to hear your voice, but I did appreciate the interruption of Prince Aurelian’s usual… conversation.” Syra watched Eclipse smirk at her phrasing when she clearly meant a very different word.

“After I got your letter this morning, I wrote my own to Duke Eclipse. Since he offered to help you, I thought that might apply to dealing with Prince Aurelian as well.” Lia looked between the two as if looking for something hidden.

“Thank you, Lia. It was a successful plan.” Syra noticed Eclipse looking at her intently with that odd expression and turned to meet his gaze.

“I see the two duchesses are aware of my promise to you. Do you tell them everything you do, your Highness?” His question reminded her of his late night visit to her chambers that she had in fact, not told them about.

“They are my closest friends and my family. I tell them many things, your Grace.” Syra blushed as she tried to evade the question without letting the sisters know that she keeps secrets and Duke Eclipse smiled in a knowing way.

“I am sure you all share everything with each other. I wish I had close confidantes like you, your Highness and your Graces.” He looked back at Syra with that odd expression as his gaze looked over her again.

Throughout the rest of the tea party, Syra noticed Eclipse’s eyes on her. Sorel left first after finishing her single cup of tea and was shortly followed by her sister. Syra was now well aware of the servants in the room. She had no doubt that every word and action would be told to her mother. Her stomach dropped in fear.

“Your Highness, may I escort you back to your chambers? You do not look like you are feeling well.” Duke Eclipse stood and offered a hand to her.

“Yes. Thank you, your Grace. I am in need of rest.” She took his hand and noticed as she stood that he suddenly stiffened his posture. 

“Did Her Majesty organize this tea party?” He asked quietly while looking away from Syra.

“How did you guess?” Syra tried to peek at his face, but he kept his head turned away.

“I know that you would never invite Aurelian to a tea party of your own volition. Dead give away. He would be a fool to not realize it himself.” Duke Eclipse’s voice was jovial, but he looked straight ahead without even glancing at Syra.

Syra giggled and Eclipse chuckled softly in return. Syra felt his arm muscles flex beneath her fingers. She looked down and noticed that his hand was a fist so tight his knuckles were turning white.

“I cannot say if he is a fool.” Syra carefully worded her response as she focused on the footsteps behind her.

“Did he actually think you invited him?” His voice was quiet, but his tone was growing sharper.

“I am surprised he even came. Why would he even go to a tea party thrown by someone he hates?” Syra scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“He still acts like a hatchling. Despite growing up with parents that show how one is supposed to treat someone you love, he seems to be unable to get past his possessive nature. While dragons are possessive, most of us are able to restrain our instincts.” He chuckled in his low rumbling voice in a slightly different way.

His laugh… it’s not the same. Why does it sound… darker? Almost angry?

“If you tell me that he is behaving that way because he likes me, I might just scream. I am tired of that excuse for being mistreated.” Syra groaned in frustration.

“Oh, I have no idea if he likes you. I know he believes he has a claim over you. Given that the royal families have decided you will someday be betrothed, he thinks that makes you his. He of course is wrong, but that is why he acts that way.” Eclipse slowed their steps as they began approaching her door.

“That just makes me dislike him more. I do not belong to him. How dare he think he can claim me?” Syra fumed as the Duke opened her door for her, he stiffened his posture again before bowing to her.

“Good evening, your Highness. I will be sure to visit again soon.” He added the second sentence quietly before kissing her hand and walking away. 

Syra entered her room and noticed all her windows were open.